Wire insulating machine



March 24, 1936. V. E. ROYLE- WIRE INSULATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 8, 19552 Sheet-Sheet 1 /@A"ATI'ORNEYS March 24-, 1936,

V. E. ROY LE WIRE INSULATING MACHINE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1935INVENTOR BYWW 8 26;ATTORNEYS 9m m3 Ro wa mm NW m k g m wfiaqm w i QM. NMN k Patented Mar. 24, 1936 NHTD STATES ATNT' OFFIE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in wire insulating machinesand, more particularly, to that portion of the machine directlyconnected with the application of the insulating material or covering tothe wire.

It has for an object to provide an apparatus of this character whichincludes improved means for evenly distributing the covering around thewire.

Another object consists in providing improved means for regulating thethickness of the coatmg.

Another object consists in providing such an apparatus which maybe veryreadily assembled and disassembled for use and cleaning.

Another object consists in providing such an apparatus in which, uponassembly, the important parts automatically assume a correct operativerelation with respect toeach other.

A further object consists in providing certain improvements in the form,construction, and. arrangement of the several parts, whereby the abovenamed and other objects may effectively be attained.

Practical embodiments of the invention are represented in .theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 represents a .detail elevation ofthe operating headof the machine.

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation, partly in .section, of the partsshown in Fig. 1, certain parts. being indicated in different. positionsin full and broken lines- Fig. 3 represents a section taken in the planeef the line IIIIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of .the arrows.

Fig. 4 represents a detail section taken in the.

-plane of the line. IV,-IV of Fig. 3, looking in the directionof thearrows.

Fig. 5 represents a section taken in the plane of the line VV of Fig. 4,looking in the direction of the. arrows.

Fig. 6 represents a detail section taken in the plane of the line VIVIof Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. '7 represents a detail horizontal section, similar to Fig. 3 but ona smaller scale, showing a modified form.

Machines for the purpose of covering wire with insulation are, ingeneral, ordinarily similar to tubing or extruding machines, and havethe usual cylinder with means for supplying the insulating material,such as a rubber compound, andstock screw or plodder within the cylinderfor advancing the material.

In the particular invention relates to the head portion of the machine.

Referring to the preferred form of the invention which is represented inFigs. 1 to 6, the cylinder is marked 1, the bore liner therefor 2, andthe stock screw or plodder 3. These parts are conventional and will notfurther be described.

The face plate for supporting the head is denoted by 4 and it is securedto the cylinder by means of nuts 5, 5, fl, 8, that are threaded uponstud bolts 9, II], II, I2, which project from. the cylinder l. A washeror gasket 13 of suit able material maybe interposed between the faceplate and cylinder.

The face plate 4 is fashioned with a horizontally extending groove I4that is semi-circular in cross section and is fitted to receive thecylindrical head IS with a snug fit. A dowel l6, carried by the head I5is fitted to enter a complementary recess in the face plate 4 for thepurpose of centering the head when the parts are being assembled.

A gate I! is hinged at its lower end on a pintle l8 that is carried inbearings I9, 20 which are formed on bosses protruding from the lowerportion of face plate 4. A set. screw 2| serves to hold the pintle inthe bearings. The gate is fashioned on its inner face with ahorizontally extending groove 22 that is semi-circular in cross sectionand corresponds. to the groove l4 r in the face plate 4, which groove 22is adapted v to embrace with a snug fit the half of the head [5 whichprotrudes from groove Hi. When the gate IT is swung into positionembracing the head, it may be locked insaid position by a keeperconsisting of a stud bolt 23 which has its inner end mounted on a pintle24 journaled in bearings 25, 26 formed in bosses on the face plate 4above groove I4. A set screw 21' holds the pintle in place. The upperend of gate H is bifurcated so as to straddle bolt 23, and a collar 28is fitted on the bolt to engage the bifurcations of the gate and hold itin operative position. A nut 29 is threaded on bolt 23 to hold collar 28in place. The operative and inoperative positions of the gate and keeperare indicated in full and broken lines respectively in 'Fig. 2 of thedrawings and it will be observed that the cylindrical shape'of-the headl5 together with the semi-cylindrical shape of the grooves l4 and 22cooperate so as to cause the parts, upon assembly, automatically toassume a correct operative relation with respect to each other. Thedowel N5, of course, prevents the head l5 from turning in the face plate4 and gate [1 but, in order to provide stronger resistance to any suchturning movement, the head is fashioned with an angular flange 15* whichfits into complementary grooves 4* and 11* formed in the face plate 4and gate ll respectively, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. The provision ofthis flange and groove engagement obviates any possibility of shearingdowel l6 through the application of wrenches to nuts engaging the headl5 as will be hereinafter described, and it also promotes the automaticassembly of the parts just mentioned.

The face plate 4 is centrally bored as indicated at 30 to receive theforward end of stock screw 3, and the extreme forward portion of thebore 39 is provided with an inwardly beveled margin 3| that servessomewhat to contract the opening of the bore 39. The said margincoincides with a frusto conical opening 32 formed in the adjacent sideof the head I 5, so that the said margin 3| and opening 32 together forma restricted frusto conical outlet for the insulating material which isforced from the cylinder of the machine by the stock screw 3 in theusual manner.

The wire to be covered or insulated is intended to be fed from one sideof the head l5 therethrough and coiled up, after insulation, on theother side. As this procedure and means for accomplishing the same arethoroughly well understood by those skilled in the art, it is deemedunnecessary to show either the wire or the said means. a a

The guider, through which the wire passes before it is covered orinsulated is marked 33. It is cylindrical in form and fitted to rest inone portion of a cylindrical bore 34 that passes centrally through thehead l5 from end to end. A pin or feather 35 is carried by the guider 33and fitted to enter a keyway 36 fashioned in.

the head l5 to prevent the guider from turning in the head. A cap nut 31is threaded onto an end of the head l5 and engages the guider 33 inorder to hold the latter in position within the head.

The guider is centrally bored with a passage 38 that is of two diametersand is fitted to receive the telescopically arranged tubular members 39and 40 constituting the guider tip which is the part throughwhich thewire to be insulated immediately passes. The member 39 of the tip has asnug telescopic fit Within the member 40 and is held in position by apin 4|; while the member 40 is threaded into bore 38 and is providedwith a kerf 42 for adjusting it, and hence the member 39 carriedthereby, longitudinally in the guider 33 An interiorly threaded nut 43is adapted to fit within cap nut 31 and to engage the threads on member40 for the purpose of locking the latter against turning within theguider 33. The member 39 of the guider tip constitutes, in eifect, acore for the wire covering or insulating operation and its end whichprojects from the guider 33 is supported by a core bridge 44 that iscircular in cross section and snugly mounted within bore 34 formed inthe head [5, in which it is held against rotation by a pin or feather44* that rides in a complementary keyway formed in the head. A pair ofarms 45. 46 connect the hub 41 of the core bridge with the rim thereofand the said hub directly supports the end 39 of the tip or core. Theshape of the arms 45, 46 in cross section is somewhat streamline asindicated at 48 in Fig. 5, to facilitate the flow of the insulatingmaterial through the core bridge and its collection around the extremityof the tip or core 39.

A die 49 which has a frusto conical opening 50 and a cylindrical opening5|, surrounds the extremity of the tip or core 39 and is fixed inposition by a die holder 52 that fits snugly within bore 34 of the headI 5. The said die holder is shouldered to engage the die as indicated at53; and the inner end of the holder abuts the core bridge 44, while theouter end is engaged by a cap nut 54 that is threaded on the head l5 forsecuring the die holder in place. The nut 54 has a central opening 55which registers with the flaring interior of the die holder 52 toconstitute an outlet for the covered or insulated wire.

Four passages, 56, 51, 58, 58* are formed in the head l5 surrounding thedie and die holder for the circulation of a temperature controllingmedium such, for instance, as hot water or steam. Said four passagescommunicate with each other, and all the openings where they are boredthrough the head are plugged except two openings which are used for thecirculation of the temperature controlling medium. Said last namedopenings may be, for instance, those marked 59 and 60.

The guider 33 is cut away, as indicated at 5|, to provide a wallcontinuing one wall of the opening 32 in the head l5, thus establishinga passage for the insulating material extruded by the stock screw 3 fromthe cylinder 2, through theface plate 4, through the head l5, past theguider 33, through the core bridge 44, and between the tip or core 39and die 49. The shape of the wall 6|, as well as the shape of the corebridge 44, tip or core 39, and die 49, provide for effectively leadingthe material to its point of application to the wire and ensuring aneven and compressed application thereof. These parts are so effective inform and arrangement that the flow of the insulating material from thescrew 3, along the wall 6|, around the core 49, through the core bridge44, and to the space between the core and die 49 is very even anduniform, and the wire passing through the core is, so to speak,automatically centered within the insulating material, while an even anduniform thickness of insulation or covering is applied at all points onthe wire. This is a matter of importance, as an improperly adjusted flowof the covering or insulating material tends to arrange the wireeccentrically therein and produce thin points of insulation calculatedto prove defective.

In operation, the wire is passed centrally through the head l5 from leftto right, Fig. 3 directly traversing parts 43, 40, 39, 51, 52, and 55.The insulating material such, for instance, as a suitable rubbercompound, is extruded by the stock screw 3 and applied to the wire atthe point where the latter passes through opening 5! in die 49, as aboveindicated. The covered or insulated wire thereafter continues itsmovement and is handled in any well known or approved manner. The partsare arranged, as hereinbefore indicated, not only to ensure an even,uniform and rapid application of the covering to the Wire. but they arealso constructed and arranged so as to promote adjustability of;the-;die and core relationship by application of a screw driver to kerf42, as well as to enable ready assembly:;and;

does not tend to alter the, .operativerelationship of the parts whichautomatically assumeicorrect positions when theyare put together. andlocked by gate ill. 10. 3

in Fig. '7, it may be said that this'form is particularly desirable forthe applicationof coverings to wires of small diameter such, .forinstance,-as sixteengage and under, while-the preferred form ;;isparticularly:*efiicientrin the treatment of larger wires.

In this modified form the face plate is; marked 62 and the stock screw63. The face plate is held-in position by nuts and bolts collectivelyZQTEmaIRGd 64 and 65. These parts are conventional and need not furtherbe described. The, head is denoted by 66 and it is located with respectto the face plate by a dowel 61. It is supported in the face plate 62 bya gate 68 as in the. case of ;;the' preferred form. The face plate has arestrictedmargin -69 and the head has a tapered opening, 18corresponding to the-parts- 3l. and32 of the preferred form.

A guider H, which is shaped as indicated in was-Fig. 6, is mounted inthe head 66. It is held against rotation therein by a pin or feather l2projecting in keyway l3, and it. islocked in the head by a cap nut 74,in which nut is'jammed a guide 15 for the wire.

.31; The forward end ofthe guider is tapered and provided with a tip-orcore 16 which is shouldered and jammed therein, as indicated in thedrawing. This core is fitted to cooperate with a die 11 that isshouldered and jammed into a die 1,13 holder 78 which is set in the head66 and clamped therein by a cap nut I9. The die holder 18 and the guiderH are provided with interior screw threads adapted to receiveinstruments for withdrawing the said parts for cleaning or repair.

Passages, collectively indicated by 80, are formed in head 66 for thecirculation of a temperature controlling medium, whichpassages aresimilar to those described in connection with the preferred form.

The tapered shape of the guider and core, in combination with the flaredshape of the adjacent parts of the die and die holder provide a spacefor the passage of the insulating material r5 that is extruded by thescrew 63 through opening 16 so that, as the wire passes through the coreand die, it is covered with the insulating material that surrounds thecore and is being urged forward by the screw. The shape of the partsinsures the even distribution of the material so that the wire isautomatically arranged centrally therein. This is particularly true inthe case of wires of small diameter, as previously indicated.

The operation of the modified form is the same as the operation of thepreferred form, except that there is no provision for adjusting the coreand die with relation to each other.

It will be understood that various changes may be resorted to in theform, construction and arrangement of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do notintend to be limited to the details herein shown and described except asthey may be included in the claims.

Turning now to the modified form: represented What I claim is:11.:Apparatusofthe character described comprising; an extrudingcylinder,a:cy1indrica1 head,

transversely arranged :means on the cylinder adapted to embrace aportionof the head, and

agate adapted to embrace another portion of the head for securing it inoperative position and crosswise of the end of the cylinder.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising, an extrudingcylindena cylindrical head,

transversely arranged means. on the cylinder adapted to embrace aportion of the head, and

aswinging gate adapted to embrace another portion'of the head forsecuring it in operative position and crosswise of the .end of thecylinder.

3. Apparatus. of the character described comprising, anextrudingcylinden'a cylindrical head,

transversely arranged. means on the cylinder adapted to embrace aportion of the head, a gate:

adapted to embrace another portion ofthe head for securing it inoperative position and. crosswise of. the end of 'thecylinder, and meanson one end of the head arranged to be connected with the cylinder forholding the head against rotary movement.

4. Apparatus of the character described-comprising, an extrudingcylinder, a cylindrical head,

transversely arranged means on the cylinder adapted to embrace a portionof the head, a swinging gate adapted to embrace another portion of thehead for securing it in operative position, and crosswise of the end ofthe cylinder, and-means on one end of the head arranged to be connectedwith the cylinder for holding the head against rotary movement.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising, an extrudingcylinder, a stock screw having a tapered end, and a bored head disposedtransversely of the end of the cylinder, the cylinder being providedwith a restricted stock screw opening, and the head being provided witha frusto conical opening adapted to constitute a continuation of therestricted opening of the cylinder for receiving the tapered end of thestock screw when the parts are in operative position.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a head provided witha longitudinal bore and an opening leading to said bore, said openingbeing substantially at right angles to the longitudinal'bore, and aguider fitted in said bore,

said guider having a flat angular face adapted to cooperate with saidopening.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a head provided witha longitudinal bore and a frusto conical opening leading to said bore,said opening being substantially at right angles to the longitudinalbore, and a guider fitted in said bore, said guider having a flatangular face adapted to cooperate with said opening.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a head provided witha longitudinal bore, a guider having a fiat angular face and fitted insaid bore, and a tubular guider tip or core carried by the guider andprojecting through said angular face, said guider tip or core beingcomposed of two members telescopically assembled, one of said membersbeing screw threaded in the guider for longitudinal adjustment therein.

9. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a head provided witha longitudinal bore, a guider having a fiat angular face and fittedwithin the bore, a die holder also fitted within the bore, a core bridgeprovided with radial wide core bridge, whereby plastic material fedlaterally to said inclined face will be retarded by the wide faced armsand evenly distributed around the core.

10. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a head providedwith a longitudinal bore, a guider fitted within the bore and having itsinner end provided with a flat angular face, a die holder also fittedwithin the bore, a die carried by the holder, and a core bridge alsofitted within the bore and interposed between the forward end of theangular face of the guider and said die holder, whereby insulatingmaterial fed laterally to the angular face will be directed around theguider before passing through the core bridge to the die.

11. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a head providedwith a longitudinal bore, a guider fitted'within the bore and having itsinner end provided with a flat angular face, a die holder also fittedwithin the bore, a die carried by the holder, a core bridge also fittedwithin the bore and interposed between the forward end of the angularface of the guider and said die holder, anda core carried by the guiderdisposed to project from the angular face and through the core bridgeinto co-operative relationship with the die, whereby insulating materialfed laterally to the angular face will be directed around the corebefore passing through the core bridge to the die.

12. In apparatus of the character described,

a guider provided with a fiat angular face, a tubular guider tip or corecarried by the guider and projecting through said angular face, and acore bridge disposed adjacent the forward edge of the angular face ofthe guider and supporting the projecting end of the tip or core, saidcore bridge being provided with radial arms and restricted openingstherethrough, each arm having a relatively wide face with respect to theopenings in the core bridge, whereby insulating material fed laterallyto said angular face will be directed around the guider tip or core andretarded by the wide face on the arms before passing through the corebridge so as to be evenly distributed around the end of the tip or coreprojecting from the core bridge.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a guider provided with aflat angular face, a tubular guider tip or core carried by the guiderand projecting through said angular face, and a core bridge disposedadjacent the forward edge of the angular face of the guider andsupporting the projecting end of the tip or core, said core bridge beingprovided with radial arms and restricted openings therethrough, each armhaving a relatively wide face with respect to the openings in the corebridge, and converging side walls for increasing the area of theopenings, whereby insulating material fed laterally to said angular facewill be first directed around the guider tip or core and retarded by thewide face on the arms and then allowed to expand while passing throughthe core bridge so as to be evenly distributed around the end of the tipor core projecting from the core bridge.

VERNON E. BOYLE.

